The Oregon Short Line routes in Utah included the Union Pacific lines between Salt Lake City and Ogden, as well as the lines north of Ogden. The Union Pacific lines west from Evanston, Wyoming, down Weber Canyon to Ogden follow the original Union Pacific route into Utah. Within two years, the new Oregon Short Line was again under the full control of the reorganized Union Pacific. The former Oregon Short Line had controlled much of the traffic that the Union Pacific depended on, and the new situation was no different. The Oregon Short Line emerged from bankruptcy in 1897 as an independent company, and the reorganized Union Pacific emerged from bankruptcy in 1898. In 1893, however, Union Pacific was forced into bankruptcy along with its subsidiary railroad companies. In 1889 the Union Pacific consolidated the control of its interests in Utah and Idaho through the organization of the Oregon Short Line and Utah Northern Railway. Twenty years later, Union Pacific had become the largest railroad company in the territory. The Union Pacific was the first of the major railroad companies to successfully build within Utah’s borders, connecting with the Central Pacific tracks at Promontory in 1869. After representatives of both the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific met with him and explained the difficulty and extra expense of a route through Salt Lake City, Young accepted the decision and helped wherever he could to speed the completion of the project, including arranging for the use of local contractors for the construction of the tracks across the territory. He was aware of the role that a railroad could play in tying a community together as well as connecting a region with the outside world. In fact, 1869 is considered to be a benchmark year in Utah history-the pioneer era coming to an end with the coming of the railroad.īrigham Young, as community leader and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, foresaw the impact that the coming of the railroad would have and wanted the transcontinental rail line built through Salt Lake City. Historians agree that the driving of the golden spike marking the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah, on was one of the most important events in United States history, as it was also in Utah history. Denver & Rio Grande Depot, Salt Lake City
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